Late Elliott Smith Gets Doc Treatment in 'Heaven Adores You' Trailer

While you may not know Elliott Smith by name, his music has likely snuck into your ears by way of soundtracks for films like Good Will Hunting, American Beauty and The Royal Tenenbaums. But sadly, the musician died just over 10 years ago after struggling with addiction, and his death made a huge impact on his friends, family and collaborators, mostly because of the dark circumstances surrounding his death. Now a documentary wants to explore more that Smith's death, and actually dive into the man's life and what made him a treasure in the music world and to everyone that he met and worked with. Heaven Adores You premieres at the San Francisco International Film Festival in May, and there's a trailer below.

And for fans of Elliott Smith's music, the documentary will feature never-before-heard music, new pictures and lost footage of the late musician. Plus, there's interviews with Smith's sister Ashley, former bandmates and collaborators Jon Brion, Larry Crane, Neil Gust, Tony Lash, Brandt Peterson, Rob Schnapf, and many more. Director Nickolas Rossi told Pitchfork, "I wanted to build on the love that the fans had for Elliott. By having Elliott guide us himself, via recorded conversations and interviews, I am hopeful that he can tell his own story once and for all, surrounded by the people who loved him dearly."

Heaven Adores You is directed by Nickolas Rossi and produced by Elliott Smith's high school friend Kevin Moyer who put together the benefit album Live From Nowhere Near You. The documentary is an intimate, meditative inquiry into the life and music of Elliott Smith (1969-2003). By threading his music through the dense, yet often isolating landscapes of the three major cities he lived in — Portland, New York City, Los Angeles — the film presents a visual journey and an earnest review of the singer’s prolific songwriting and the impact it continues to have on fans, friends, and musicians. The film premieres on May 5th at SFFF.